Then it was on to Switzerland. We spent a day exploring Our Chalet and had some free time in the be

I have the pleasure of being the organizational leader for Girl Scouts – NC Coastal Pines’ international travel group.  In the summer of 2013, I was fortunate to get to travel with the Girl Scout troop I had been leading for about 10 years. While our girls came and went, a select few persevered and worked really hard to raise the funds for a great international trip.
The girls chose to take a trip to Europe to visit two of the Girl Scout World Centers – Pax Lodge and Our Chalet cruises to panama canal – and make a stop in Paris as well.  After all, isn’t it every teenager’s dream to go to Paris?  It was for our girls.
We flew into London and had several days seeing cruises to panama canal the sights.  On our first day in England we took the tube and found our way to Buckingham Palace to see the changing of the guard.  No other event could have given us a more “Welcome to England” feeling.
We visited Hampton Court Palace, completed a walking tour of London, spent time in Hyde Park, enjoyed a ride on the London Eye and a Thames River Cruise.  We spent a half day at Pax Lodge taking part in a pinning ceremony and enjoying high tea.
The Eurostar shuttled us at about 180 miles-per-hour under the English Channel to Paris where we enjoyed all the sights including the Louvre, Notre Dame, the Eiffel Tower and a day trip to the palace of Versailles.
Then it was on to Switzerland.  We spent a day exploring Our Chalet and had some free time in the beautiful town of Adelboden.  The last days of our trip were spent in Lucerne touring and shopping, and attending a Swiss Folklore event where we sampled cheese fondue and learned about Swiss culture and history.
This was a wonderful trip, enjoyed by all.  The girls stepped out of their comfort zone learning about what it takes for international travel, and also about several cultures different from their own.